As used herein, the term “character” refers to a sequence of binary digits representing information that can be recognized by a processing system. As such, a “character” may represent a visual symbol capable of being displayed; a system command to be executed by the system; a digital signal that is generated through the pressing of a button, switch, knob, touchpad, or other user initiated signaling device; a digital signal generated by the system; or any other digital sequence carrying information into, out of, or within the system. “Data” shall refer to the confidential input entered by the user, and may constitute, for example, conventional input from a keyboard or keypad, handwriting applied to a digitizer pad, vocal entries received by a microphone, whistling or other mouth-and-breath combinations, touchpads, touch screens, and other means for entering data into processing systems. The term “word” refers to the confidential information saved in a memory buffer for processing after data entry has been completed.
Methods of entering data into processing systems through a user interface include both precise and imprecise entry methods. Data entered is converted from its raw form into a character that may then be processed in accordance with standard processing methods. Because the data may be seen by the conversion means as constituting something other than what the user intended, there is a possibility that the wrong character will be interpreted by the system.
When confidential data is to be entered into a processing system, the information being entered should not be retained on a display where it can be viewed by persons unauthorized to receive the data. Conventional means for entering confidential data do not echo the data to the display. However, where confidential information is to be entered, but not viewed, there is a possibility that incorrect data will be received.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data-entry system that will accept a confidential data entry, convert the data to a character, save and temporarily display the character to a user so that the accuracy of the entered confidential data may be verified, and then replace the displayed character with a mask character. This and other objects of the invention will be described in the following descriptions.